The New York Times Editorial Board has urged the University of California (UC) system to reverse its decade-long "test-blind" admissions policy, calling the decision a "terrible mistake" that has left students unprepared for college-level coursework. The editorial comes as the UC Board of Regents is set to reconsider the policy.
In 2020, the UC system officially stopped considering standardized test scores like the SAT and ACT for undergraduate admissions. This decision was made despite a 2019 report by the system's own Standardized Testing Task Force (STTF), which concluded that test scores aid in predicting student success, including undergraduate grade point average, retention, and completion.
The "test-blind" approach meant that UC campuses would not accept test scores, even from students who wished to submit them. The editorial board noted that the consequences of this policy have been severe, citing a report from UC San Diego faculty that indicated a sharp decline in the academic preparedness of new students. Last fall, nearly 12% of first-year undergraduates at UC San Diego were not qualified to take pre-calculus, a significant increase from 0.5% in 2020.
While acknowledging broader educational challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of artificial intelligence, and smartphone distractions, The New York Times argued that the decline in preparedness within the UC system is disproportionately larger than elsewhere, underscoring the impact of the test-blind policy.
More than 2,300 UC STEM faculty members and over 900 humanities faculty members have signed letters urging the university to reinstate standardized testing requirements. The STEM faculty noted in their letter that "obscuring preparation gaps harms both students individually and the University collectively. It offers the appearance of access while undermining the chance of success."
In response to inquiries, a spokesperson for UC stated that the faculty Academic Senate is conducting a comprehensive review of how to best assess college readiness and support student success. This review is intended to go beyond previous work due to changes in the educational landscape since the 2020 policy adoption.
Many other universities that had suspended or made standardized tests optional during the pandemic have since reinstated them. Institutions such as Harvard, Brown, Georgia Tech, Purdue, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and the California Institute of Technology now require test scores for admission. Both the U.S. Naval Academy and West Point also mandate test scores.